April 19, 1956 Earthquake: Spain
A magnitude 5 earthquake struck Spain on April 19, 1956 at 18:38:00 UTC. It killed 11 people.
Map
Where it struck, with the other significant earthquakes within 200 km. Circles are sized and colored by magnitude; select one for its page.
The earthquake
- Date
- April 19, 1956
- Time
- 18:38:00 UTC
- Place
- Spain
- Magnitude
- 5
- Intensity
- 8 on the Modified Mercalli scale
- Tsunami
- None recorded
- Epicenter
- 37.183° N, 3.683° W
- Country
- Spain
The toll
- Deaths
- 11
- Injuries
- 70
- Damage
- Severe (about $5 to $25 million)
Where the literature gives no number, NCEI records a description on a scale of 1 to 4, printed here in its words. Damage is in millions of US dollars of the year of the event, not adjusted for inflation.
What the record says
NCEI’s account, from the sources it cites.
Seven killed, 60 injured, and extensive property 37 N. 4 W. damage at Albolote, Atarfe, and Granada. (reference #45)
11 deaths, 70 injured (reference #1250)
Other significant earthquakes nearby
Within 200 km, the deadliest first.
- September 22, 1522, Fez, Almeria, Morocco, Spain
- December 25, 1884, Arenas del Rey, Vega, Alhama, Malaga, Spain
- September 30, 1531, Baza, Spain
- August 25, 1804, Almeria, Dalias, Roquetas, Spain
- November 9, 1518, Vera, Spain
- October 9, 1680, Malaga, Spain
- August 28, 1674, Lorca, Spain
- April 5, 1504, Carmona, Spain
- October 27, 1806, Granada, Spain
- May 11, 2011, Lorca, Spain
- January 13, 1804, Dalias, Almeria, Spain
- January 25, 2016, Melilla, Morocco
- April 24, 1431, Granada, Spain
- March 29, 1954, Spain
- July 5, 1930, Montilla, Spain
More
Significant earthquakes of 1956The 1900sEvery quake the USGS located in 1956Recent earthquakes near hereThis day in weather history
Sources
Significant earthquakes from NOAA’s National Centers for Environmental Information, Global Historical Hazard Database, cited as NCEI/WDS, doi:10.7289/V5PN93H7. Public domain. Read 2026-09-24. NCEI earthquake 4095.